It's easy not to envy director Sam Raimi ("Evil Dead," "A Simple
Plan") at the moment. Countless millions of people across the
world are laying eyes upon his version of "Spider-Man," starring one of the
most loved superheroes of all time. The anticipation approaches that of a new "Star Wars" movie.
No matter what critics say, fans of the comic book are going to love the movie. But the fact is, it's only so-so. There are plenty of things to like about "Spider-Man," and just as many that prevent it from achieving greatness.
The story is set up swiftly and efficiently. New York City high school student Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) is a nerdy science buff living with his aunt and uncle. He has a crush on his lovely neighbor, Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst), and all the kids at school pick on him. Peter's only friend is the filthy rich Harry Osborn (James Franco), son of Norman Osborn (Willem Dafoe).
{INSERT_RELATED}While on a class field trip to Columbia University, Peter is bitten on the hand by a genetically altered spider that has escaped from its cage. Slowly, he begins to change. First he goes from scrawny to muscular overnight, and then he can climb walls, release webbing from his wrist and leap tall buildings.
It's at an amateur wrestling event that Peter becomes Spider-Man. He is trying to win $3,000 so he can buy a convertible and impress Mary Jane. When he tells the ring announcer that he is "The Human Spider," the announcer (Raimi vet Bruce Campbell) scoffs at the name and dubs him "Spider-Man."
Soon, Spider-Man is rescuing people throughout the city. He saves babies from burning buildings; he saves storekeepers from being mugged; he helps the police chase bad guys; and he saves the life of Mary Jane twice. Some think he's a hero, other's believe him to be a menace.
But Spider-Man has a nemesis. The Green Goblin, aka Norman Osborn, is the result of a scientific experiment gone wrong. He flies around on a "glider" that resembles a futuristic surfboard. He wants Spider-Man to join forces with him (do they ever want anything else?) so they can rule the world. But Spider-Man only fights for the good guys.
The filmmakers have put forth a lot of effort here. The action sequences are elaborate and ambitious. It's exciting to watch Spider-Man fly around New York City saving lives and doing battle with the Green Goblin. Save for a few instances of unconvincing computer generated images, the special effects are outstanding.
Unfortunately, there are too many weaknesses. First and foremost, the Green Goblin is a terrible villain. He's comical, not menacing. His cackle is silly, his costume bland. A great villain is a must for this type of movie, and the Green Goblin doesn't cut it.
The writing is also poor -- particularly in scenes involving Spider-Man and the Green Goblin (bad one-liners, lame threats) and Peter and Mary Jane (corny and sappy) -- and the pacing is off. Where as the superior "X-Men" comes in at a brisk 100 minutes, "Spider-Man" runs almost half an hour longer and drags as it crawls to a finish.
"Spider-Man" is much too amiable and harmless to be considered a bad movie, but it has no staying power. It's almost instantly forgettable and doesn't warrant more than one viewing. And that has to be looked at as a letdown.
"Spider-Man" is now playing at theaters everywhere. Click here for showtimes.
